Personalized device and method for monitoring a motor vehicle driver

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a personalized device for monitoring a motor vehicle driver, said device comprising: —a device for measuring a driver monitoring parameter; —a control unit that is programmed to estimate a state of alertness of the driver in accordance with an estimation rule and the measured value of the monitoring parameter; —the control unit is additionally programmed to determine said estimation rule in a personalized manner for the driver in accordance with a set of driver-specific data, including at least the measured value of the monitoring parameter, and multiple sets of predefined data, each of which corresponds to a predefined group of drivers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to driver safety. More particularly, thisinvention relates to a method, an apparatus and a computer programproduct as defined in the preambles of the independent claims.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Even though the number of fatal road casualties has significantlydecreased around the world from the early nineties, there are still morethan 30 000 deaths annually alone in Europe due to traffic accidents.According to large field studies driver inattention is a major cause oftraffic accidents. A special form of inattention, driver distraction,refers to diversion of driver's attention away from activities criticalto safe driving towards competing activities. Distraction may be forexample aural (the driver is not able to hear the sounds from traffic),cognitive (the driver is focused in thoughts about something else thandriving), or manual (the driver is using his/her hands for somethingelse than driving). Yet, because of the high visual demands of driving,the biggest risk factor is visual distraction—the driver does not haveeyes on the road when the driving situation requires visual attention.Number one cause for visual distraction while driving is the use ofmobile devices such as phones, PDAs, tablet computers etc. Other causesfor visual distraction include passengers and performing tasks likeeating, fixing make-up, shaving, eating etc. Field studies have shownthat drivers are trying to keep diverging glance durations within safelimits but that often their allocation of visual attention isinefficient and unsafe - drivers take a look at a wrong place at a wrongtime and/or look at a wrong place for too long given the visual demandsof the traffic situation.

Some solutions have been introduced for monitoring and warning thedriver. Some modern cars have lane-monitoring systems that give alertsto the driver when the car is about to leave the lane. Accessory andinbuilt driver fatigue monitors exist for detecting drowsy drivers forexample by measuring the distance between eyelids and giving an alert tothe driver. KR20050040307A presents a solution where a camera is used toanalyze the direction where the eyes are directed to. Using thisinformation together with information about the current speed a warningalert may be given to the driver. EP2483105 A1 on the other handpresents a driver safety application running on a mobile device. Theapplication gathers real-time information about the current drivingsituation - evaluates risks and alerts the driver if needed.

All these existing solutions hopefully do increase road safety but theyare all reactive, acting after the risk level has already risen. Inaddition, all of these fail to take individual differences intoaccount—not all drivers are similar. Some drivers are more skilled thanothers and are able to perform multi-tasking while driving moreefficiently than less skilled. For example an experienced driver cangather and process the visual information required for safe navigationof the vehicle much faster than a novice driver and also anticipates theupcoming demands of driving much more efficiently. Nor is the drivingsituation always the same. The use of a driver mentoring system has tobe a positive experience for the driver—not an annoying and itself adistracting one.

Use of certain devices like mobile phone, navigator, fleet managementdevices, car multimedia systems etc. while driving does visuallydistract the driver but in some situations the use of them increasesafety e.g. using a GPS navigator on unfamiliar roads. For aprofessional driver the use of mobile phone or other tools is oftenessential. On a long drive use of the multimedia system can help driverto keep alert. Furthermore, all glances away from the road ahead cannotbe defined as visual distraction. The driver must occasionally check themeters and mirrors of the vehicle. In addition, to keep the drivingpleasant, the driver must occasionally glance and adjust accessories,such as climate control, radio, and other in-vehicle informationsystems. When a diverging glance becomes a visual distraction, dependson the current visual demands of the driving situation, which arefurther dependent on the skill level of the driver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to solve or alleviate at leastpart of the above mentioned problems. The objects of the presentinvention are achieved with a method, an apparatus and a computerprogram product according to the characterizing portions of theindependent claims.

The preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in thedependent claims.

The present invention is based on a new method of monitoring andimproving driving safety by using driver- and situation-specific factorswhile estimating the need to guide the user in allocating ones visualattention back to the driving environment before visual distraction andthe associated risks are realized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the following the invention will be described in greater detail, inconnection with preferred embodiments, with reference to the attacheddrawings, in which

FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary pictures of a driver allocating visualattention to different directions.

FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified picture of a driver in a vehicle withpotential sources of visual distractions.

FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified picture of a driver in a vehicleallocating visual attention to navigating the vehicle and to a source ofdistraction.

The flow chart of FIG. 4 illustrates some characteristics of the DriverMentoring Application.

FIG. 5 illustrates a simplified picture of a mobile device running theDriver Mentoring Application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

The following embodiments are exemplary. Although the specification mayrefer to “an”, “one”, or “some” embodiment(s), this does not necessarilymean that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that thefeature only applies to a single embodiment. Single features ofdifferent embodiments may be combined to provide further embodiments.

In the following, features of the invention will be described with asimple example of a system architecture in which various embodiments ofthe invention may be implemented. Only elements relevant forillustrating the embodiments are described in detail. Variousimplementations of computer implemented processes, apparatuses andcomputer program products comprise elements that are generally known toa person skilled in the art and may not be specifically describedherein.

While various aspects of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed as block diagrams, message flow diagrams, or using some otherpictorial representation, it is well understood that the illustratedunits, blocks, device, system elements, procedures and methods may beimplemented in, for example, hardware, software, firmware, specialpurpose circuits or logic, a computing device or some combinationthereof.

These exemplary embodiments include methods and systems for monitoring adriver of a vehicle allocating his/her visual attention betweennavigating the vehicle and visually distractive objects taking intoaccount individual characteristics of the driver, current drivingsituation, among many other variables for mentoring the driver whenneeded. The method is based on calculating a value describing currenttraffic situation with a Visual Demand Algorithm (VDA) using real-timecontext information and Driver Profile (DP). The VDA may be a part of aDriver Mentoring Application (DMA) which is capable of collectinginformation about the driver, the vehicle, traffic, weather, roadconditions and so on. Using the collected real-time data and the valuefrom the VDA, DMA computes a Threshold Time (TT) for intervention if thedriver is not allocating the visual attention to navigating the vehicle.The visual attention is monitored with a camera or other suitable deviceand if the TT is met the DMA mentors the driver to allocate more visualattention to navigating the vehicle.

The systems may be implemented in many ways. VDA, DMA, means formentoring the driver, means for collecting information may be allembodied on a same device or on two or more separate devices.

The invention also makes possible to gather and store information of thedrivers on a remote database. The information about the driversallocating their visual attention in various situations may be used formany purposes including developing the DMA and the VDA, planning roadsand traffic management, improving vehicles and user interfaces ofvarious devices, information for insurance companies or the police andso on. The information gathered from an individual can used e.g. forprofiling. Such information stored and/or retrieved inside or outside ofthe device, can be used to both to predict and fine-tune driver specificinattention parameters. It can be accomplished for example bycalculating how many times mentoring intervention has been triggeredboth long term and short term.

Such information may also give input to the driver directly or e.g. roadplanners about potential danger areas and how to avoid those. If thesystem is used for insurance benefits, insure companies may offeradditional discount based on past behaviour calculated using embodimentsof the current invention.

Embodiments of the invention can comprise one or more computer programsthat embody the functions described herein and illustrated in theappended flow charts. However, it should be apparent that there could bemany different ways of implementing the invention in computerprogramming, and the invention should not be construed as limited to anyone set of computer program instructions. Further, a skilled programmerwould be able to write such a computer program to implement anembodiment of the disclosed invention based on the flow charts andassociated description in the application text. Therefore, disclosure ofa particular set of program code instructions is not considerednecessary for an adequate understanding of how to make and use theinvention. The inventive functionality of the claimed invention will beexplained in more detail in the following description, read inconjunction with the figures illustrating the program flow.

FIG. 1 is a simplified picture illustrating some examples of a personallocating visual attention. In situations B and E the person allocatesthe visual attention directly forward. In situation A the eyes aredirected to the right and in situation C to the left. In situation D thehead and eyes of the person are directed to the right and in situation Fto the left. Several commercial applications and devices exist for eyetracking. Eye tracking is measuring either the point of gaze (directionof the eyes) or the motion of an eye relative to the head of a person.An eye tracker is a device that uses projection patterns and opticalsensors to gather data about gaze direction or eye movements with veryhigh accuracy. Eye tracker can be implemented in many ways. Anon-exhaustive list of exemplary embodiments:

-   -   an attachment to the eye, such as a special contact lens with        sensors,    -   an optical tracker, such as a video camera or other optical        sensor,    -   electrodes placed around the eyes measuring eye motion.

Sometimes the direction of the gaze can also be indirectly inferred frommere face detection by analysing the angle of the face, for examplefacing to a mobile device or away from it. Many other means formonitoring the visual attention—direction of the gaze exist and they areapplicable for this invention. Use of EEG (electroencephalograph) ormagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies may be applicable in someembodiments. Using these technologies it is possible to deduce frombrain activity what the person is actually attending at or whether thereis reduced processing on brain areas associated with driving-relatedactivities.

The examples presented generally relate to situations when a driver isnavigating a vehicle in various situations. Yet, the invention can beembodied in many other situations, too. For example the visual demandsof any task interrupted by the use of any device requiring visual-manualinteractions may be calculated, the allocation of visual attentionbetween tasks monitored, and the person mentored if needed. Suchsituation can be for example a customer writing a text message with amobile phone while at the cash register waiting his/her turn in line, ora pedestrian browsing music on a portable music player while walking orwaiting the pedestrian lights to turn green.

As used herein, the term “driving” refers to navigating in movementcontrolled by a person, who can be called as a driver. Role of thedriver when driving may differ from active—driving a traditional car—tomore passive one—observing in an automatic train or such. It is to benoted that the role of the driver may differ and change with time forexample when autonomous cars are considered. Yet the example embodimentsof the current invention are relevant for the different roles.Furthermore it is to be noted that implementations of the exampleembodiments of the current invention for a person performing an act ofmoving like walking, running etc. does not fall out of the scopes of theclaims. The example embodiments may be implemented also when the driveris moving in any way when he/she has any role or responsibility innavigating. For example when operating a fully or semi-automated trainor flying an airplane even when auto-pilot is activated thedriver/pilot/operator/navigator still has responsibility. One example ofan embodiment without a vehicle involved is a method for managing visualattention, comprising the steps of:

-   -   storing user specific information in a user mentoring        application;    -   receiving at the user mentoring application situation        information about circumstances surrounding the user;    -   executing at the user mentoring application a visual demand        algorithm using at least one of the situation information or        user specific information;    -   executing an application for tracking direction of gaze of the        user;    -   receiving at the user mentoring application information about        the direction of the gaze of the user and measuring time when        said direction of the gaze is allocated to something else than        performing a task;    -   defining at the user mentoring application a threshold time for        an intervention using the result received from the visual demand        algorithm;    -   based on the determination that the measured time meets the        intervention period the user is given mentoring by the user        mentoring application to allocate more visual attention to        performing said task.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment where the driver 20 is seatedinside a vehicle. The interior of the vehicle is shown in a simplifiedway depicting only necessary items. It is to be understood that thevehicle means any kind of mobile machine for transporting passengers orcargo (e.g. car, truck, motorcycle, train, bicycle, tractor, boat,aircraft, spacecraft). Yet the current invention is applicable also whena person is performing an act of moving like running, walking, riding onan animal like a horse or an elephant. In the depicted embodiment thereare four potential sources of visual distractions shown: in-builtmultimedia system 21 which may also include vehicle related controlslike climate adjustment, a driver mentoring device 22, a navigatordevice 23 and a passenger 25. Naturally there can be any number of othersources of visual distractions located anywhere inside the vehicle andthe source can be something non-concrete, too. The driver may forexample browse the interior of the car searching for something. Thesource of visual distraction may also be outside the vehicle; anadvertising sign, a venue of commerce, attraction, special scenery etc.The eye tracking is used for monitoring if the driver is allocating thevisual attention to navigating the vehicle or to something elseconsidered as visual distraction. In FIG. 2 an eye tracker 24 is locatedon a dash of a vehicle. As described earlier the eye tracker 24 can alsobe located in an eye or surrounding an eye of the driver. A remote eyetracker 24 solution in a form of an optical sensor can be implementedanywhere where it can monitor the visual attention of the driver 20. Insome embodiments the eye tracker can be implemented in or connected tothe multimedia system 21, the driver mentoring device 22, the navigatordevice 23 or a mobile phone. There can also be more than one eyetrackers, 24 in certain embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates two situations where the visual attention of thedriver 20 is allocated to different objects. In situation A the visualattention is directed forward allocating it to navigating the vehicleand in the situation B the visual attention is directed to the drivermentoring device 22 which can be for example a mobile phone. Eye trackeris not depicted, but it could be for example implemented in the drivermentoring device 22. In the situation B the visual attention is clearlyallocated to the driver mentoring device 22 but in the situation A it isnot so clear—depending on the driving situation—the visual attentionshould perhaps be allocated to left or right e.g. while turning in acurve instead of staring forward looking at a advertising sign or someother source of visual distraction or other disturbance in front of thecar. Also in the situation B—depending on the driving situation anddriver characteristics—allocating visual attention to the mobile phoneor driver mentoring device 22 might be a very low risk or no risk todriving safety.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a Driver Mentoring Application (DMA)40 in accordance with certain exemplary embodiments. DMA 40 is anapplication for giving mentoring to a driver when needed. The DMA 40application may be running e.g. in a mobile device like a mobile phone,personal digital assistant (PDA), tablet computer, portable mediaplayer, handheld game console, PC, navigator device, vehicle multimediasystem, vehicle control system or any other suitable device. Accordingto one embodiment Visual Demand

Algorithm (VDA) 41 is embedded to the DMA 40 but it can be also embodiedin any other device connected to the DMA 40. DMA 40 utilizes informationfrom many sources. The input 42 is a non-exhaustive list of informationsources accessible by the DMA 40. In some embodiments at least one ofthe information sources for input 42 may be physically in the samedevice with the DMA 40 but according to some other embodiments theinformation sources for input 42 are physically remote from the DMA 40running device but connected by any suitable communication path.

According to one embodiment of the invention a method for driver safetymentoring includes obtaining driver characteristics (input 42) in DMA40. The DMA 40 also receives information about circumstances surroundingthe vehicle (input 42). VDA 41 is executed and it calculates valuesdescribing level of visual demand using the input 42. A gaze trackingapplication (GTA) 43 is also executed which tracks the visual attentionof the driver 20 and the information is provided to the DMA 40. When theinformation received from GTA 43 indicates that the driver 20 isallocating visual attention to something else (source of visualdistraction) than navigating the vehicle a timer 44 is started tomeasure the glance time of distraction. The DMA 40 calculates and sets asituation specific threshold time 401 for possible intervention usingthe results from the VDA 41. The DMA 40 compares the measured glancetime by the timer 44 and the set threshold time 401 and if the glancetime measured is at least as long as the threshold time 401 the DMA 40gives mentoring 403 to the driver 20. In other cases there is no needfor mentoring.

According to another embodiment driver characteristics can be obtainedfrom input 42 and include similar information as Driver Profile (DP) 51in FIG. 5. The information may include age, health, visual acuity,driving history of the driver and also tracked performance while drivinglike reaction time, stability of the driving, use of turn signals,obeying traffic regulations etc.

According to another embodiment the DMA 40 may detect that the driver 20is using a mobile phone or other device while driving. Especially if theDMA 40 is installed and running on a mobile phone the DMA 40 receivesuser input (typing, browsing, gaming, calling . . . ) from input 42.

According to another embodiment the DMA 40 may detect issues related tothe vehicle having an effect to visual demand level. In a case wheninput 42 includes a camera or other sensor device monitoring essentiallyin the direction of movement (windscreen) fog or ice may be detected onthe windscreen as well as items attached to the windscreen or hanginge.g. from a rear view mirror.

According to another embodiment the DMA 40 receives map information frominput 42 about the road, route or area the vehicle is on or facing. Themap information may be real-time or statistical (historical) informationabout traffic, road conditions, altitude differences, curves, crossings,traffic lights, traffic signs, road construction works, accidents and soon.

According to another embodiment the DMA 40 receives traffic informationfrom input 42 about the road, route or area the vehicle is on or facing.The weather information may be real-time or statistical (historical)information about temperature, rain, wind, visibility and so on.

According to another embodiment the mentoring 403 can be a visual,audible or tactile signal or based on sense of smell or taste or anycombination of those. The signal can be given by the driver mentoringdevice 22, the multimedia system 21, the navigator 23, or any otherin-vehicle information system or any combination of those. Means for thetactile signal can be implemented for example in driver's seat orsteering wheel.

According to another embodiment the DMA 40 receives vehicle informationfrom input 42 about status of the vehicle. The vehicle information mayinclude vehicle trip starts and stops, engine operations, transmissionoperations, fuel efficiency, and the use of accelerators, brakes, andturn signals. Vehicle information may also include an on-boarddiagnostics “OBD” which can provide access to state of healthinformation for various vehicle sub-systems based on vehicle'sself-diagnostics. Modern OBD implementations use a standardized digitalcommunications port to provide real-time data in addition to astandardized series of diagnostic trouble codes.

The threshold time can vary a lot. Drivers try to keep mean in-vehicleglance durations between 0.5-1.6 seconds in most traffic situations.However, for example when driving in a heavy traffic, bad weather withlots of sources of distraction around or merely in crossings with othertraffic the threshold can be zero. On the other hand when driving atractor on an empty field the threshold may be several seconds or insome other situations even longer without substantially increasing arisk of an accident.

For calculating the visual demand value of a specific driving situation,several factors should be taken into account. Environmental factors caninclude e.g. road type (crossing, intersection, roundabout, city, ruralroad, motorway, highway), road curvature, and lane width. Situationalfactors can include e.g. surrounding traffic, speed, and stability ofthe driving (lateral and longitudinal accelerations). Driver-relatedfactors can include e.g._driving experience and age.

Environmental factors may further include plants, buildings,constructions, construction sites, pieces of art and other objects andstructures near the road or route. For example houses, trees, fencesetc. may block visibility in curves or crossings. The environmentalfactors may also change in time—plants grow, new buildings are builtetc. The environmental factors may also change according to season—leafsmay drop in the fall and new ones grow in spring, snow piles may form inwinter and so on. The environmental factor may also be short-term, likea portable barrack at a constructions site, a broken vehicle etc.

In another example embodiment of the invention input 42 includesinformation received from a remote source. The information may includevisual data like pictures or videos relating to a route or a routepoint. Sources of the visual data may include web services offeringstreet-level views from various locations along the route. The drivermentoring device 22 may also gather visual data and store it locally orremotely for future use. Visual data may also be gathered from othersources, like separate car/dash cameras recording route when moving.Crowd sourcing or commercial services may also be used in gatheringvisual data.

The visual data may be used to calculate a value for at least one routepoint or a route using the Visual Demand Algorithm (VDA). The visualdata may also be used to illustrate characteristics of the at least oneroute point or a route and such illustration may be used when planning aroute or when driving or otherwise using the Driver MentoringApplication (DMA).

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary driver mentoring device (DMD) 22 inwhich an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented. Thefigure shows some relevant components of the device and externalinformation sources where the driver mentoring device 22 can beconnected to. The device may be a mobile phone, PDA, portable gamingdevice, tablet computer, pc, navigator, in-vehicle information system,driver safety device etc. It is also clear to a man skilled in the artthat at least some of the components may be separate from the drivermentoring device 22 and connected with e.g. Bluetooth or a cable. Forexample a separate GPS-module or camera unit may be used.

In this embodiment DMA 40 is installed in the driver mentoring device22. The DMA 40 is a user controllable application stored in a memory(MEM) 55 and provides instructions that, when executed by a processorunit (CPU) 53 of the driver mentoring device 22 performs the functionsdescribed herein. The expression “user-controllable” means that thedriver mentoring device 22 in which the application is executedcomprises a user interface (UI) 54 and the user may control execution ofthe application by means of the user interface, 54. The user may thusinitiate and terminate running of the application, provide commands thatcontrol the order of instructions being processed in the drivermentoring device 22. Visual Demand Algorithm (VDA) 41 calculates a valuedescribing how visually demanding a certain driving situation is for thedriver using e.g. inputs 42 in FIG. 4. Driver profile (DP) 51 storesinformation about at least one driver. The information may include age,health, visual acuity, driving history of the driver and also trackedperformance while driving like reaction time, stability of the driving,use of turn signals, obeying traffic regulations etc.

Information source (INFO) 58 may be a web server that has an IP addressand a domain name. The information source may also be implemented as acloud providing functions of the web server. The information source 58can be a web site, a database, service etc.

Network (NET) 57 represents here any combination of hardware andsoftware components that enables a process in one communication endpointto send or receive information to or from another process in another,remote communication endpoint. NET, 57 may be, for example, a personalarea network, a local area network, a home network, a storage areanetwork, a campus network, a backbone network, a cellular network, ametropolitan area network, a wide area network, an enterprise privatenetwork, a virtual private network, a private or public cloud or aninternetwork, a cable interface, vehicle BUS-system (CAN-Bus, J-Busetc.) or a combination of any of these.

Information source (INFO) 58 may consist of one or many entities whichmay be for example a web server that has an IP address and a domainname. The information source may also be implemented as a cloudproviding functions of the web server. The information source 58 entitycan be a web site, a database, service etc. The information source 58may provide to the DMA 40 information in practice any relevantinformation publicly available in the internet, information availablevia subscription, specific information available for DMA 40. Theinformation may be real-time or statistical (historical) informationabout e.g. weather, traffic, road conditions, altitude differences,curves, crossings, traffic lights, traffic signs, road constructionworks, accidents and so on.

Vehicle's information system (VEH) 59 can include an audio system, adisplay, an engine control module, and third party safety devices. TheDMA 40 can obtain data relating to vehicle trip starts and stops, engineoperations, transmission operations, fuel efficiency, and the use ofaccelerators, brakes, and turn signals from the VEH 59. Vehicle'sinformation system 59 may also include an on-board diagnostics “OBD”which can provide access to state of health information for variousvehicle sub-systems based on vehicle's self-diagnostics. Modern OBDimplementations use a standardized digital communications port toprovide real-time data in addition to a standardized series ofdiagnostic trouble codes. Vehicle's self-diagnostics is also able todetect several safety related changes in a vehicle. For example it maydetect a change in tire pressure or balancing of at least one wheel, anyfailure e.g. in steering or breaking system etc. can mean that moreattention should be allocated to navigating the vehicle. Such changes orfailures are sometimes very difficult to notice by the driver.

The driver mentoring device 22 further comprises an interface unit (IF)50 providing means for connecting to INFO 58 and VEH 59 via NET 57.Interface unit 50 may include several means for connecting: wlan(Wi-Fi), cellular data, Bluetooth, RFID, USB, infrared, etc.

The driver mentoring device 22 further comprises at least one cameraunit (CAM) 52. One camera unit 52 can be positioned in the front side ofthe driver mentoring device 22 and another on the rear side of thedriver mentoring device 22. The camera unit 52 may provide DMA 50information about the driver (where is the driver looking at, drowsiness. . . ), interior of the car (who is driving, other people or animalsinside, driver smoking/eating/shaving . . . ), and surroundings (how theroad looks through windscreen, other vehicles and obstacles . . . ). Thecamera unit 52 may be the gaze tracker 24 in FIG. 2. It is to beunderstood that the camera unit (CAM) 52 may be something else than atraditional camera device, too. It may utilize other areas of the lightspectrum or use sound waves etc. Many other means for monitoring thevisual attention - direction of the gaze exist and they are applicablefor this invention. Use of EEG (electroencephalograph) or magneticresonance imaging (MRI) technologies may be applicable in someembodiments. Using these technologies it is possible to deduce frombrain activity what the person is actually attending at or whether thereis reduced processing on brain areas associated with driving-relatedactivities.

The driver mentoring device 22 further comprises sensors (SEN) 56 forsensing variable situations and conditions. The sensors 56 may provideDMA 40 information about driver, vehicle and surroundings. For example aGPS-module can give information about velocity, acceleration, g-forces,changes of direction etc. A microphone may provide DMA 40 informationabout a driver's activity (talking, singing, yawning . . . ), about thecar (loud music, engine rpm, window open, convertible roof down . . . )and surroundings (other traffic, wild life . . . ). Additional sensors56 may include e.g. a heart rate sensors, brain wave sensors, gyroscope,acceleration sensor, thermometer etc.

Another embodiment of the invention is to define a visual demand value,VDV for each point of a road or route and store it in route informationfor example in map data of a navigator device or a route planningapplication. Using the VDV information for a route a driver is able toselect a route from a number of routes in addition to existing distanceand driving time. In some situations a driver might want to select avisually more demanding route in order to help to keep focused and insome other situation a less visually demanding road in order to be ableto interact with a passenger while driving.

Usually in vehicles there is a power source available for the drivermentoring device 22. Yet in some cases, for example when the DMA 40 isrunning in a mobile phone and the device is being used while cycling orwalking, a battery is needed. In situations where there is no fixedpower available some power saving functions may be applicable. In theembodiments described above the DMA 40, VDA 41, timer 44 are alwaysactive when the application is launched monitoring the driver. Adequatepolling times and other means clear for a man skilled in the art can beadded to the method.

An example: Driver Mentoring Application Implemented in a Mobile Phone

The term “mobile phone” means a cellular or mobile telephone having inaddition to functionalities of standard, “traditional” mobile phones:voice and messaging functions and cellular data also advancedfunctionality. For example, mobile phones may have capabilities forinstalling 3^(rd) party software application in its memory. In additionto traditional cellular bearers they also provide Internet, WLAN(Wi-Fi), BLUETOOTH and RFID communication capabilities. Typically,modern mobile phones also have cameras for still images, full motionvideo, and media player applications for various media types. Manymodern mobile phones have large displays and flexible data entryfunctionality on touch screens, keyboards etc. Often mobile phones alsohave more advanced internal circuitry and device functionality, such asGPS, accelerometers, gyroscopes, biometric sensors and other sensorfunctionality.

Driver 20 is seated on the driver's seat and navigating a car. Thedriver 20 has launched a DMA 40 in his mobile phone and placed themobile phone on a rack on the dash of the vehicle as depicted in FIG. 2(although the mobile phone could as well be located in the driver'shand). The mobile phone has camera unit 52—acting as an eye tracker24—implemented on front side of the mobile phone facing to the driver20. The mobile phone is connected to a network 57 using cellular dataand obtains information from information source 58 and input 42. Usingthe obtained information VDA 41 calculates values for route points onthe current road defining how visually demanding the points are for thedriver 20. Together with the calculated value and other information athreshold time is set 401.

The camera unit 52 provides information to the DMA 40 and based on theinformation it determines whether the driver 20 is allocating his visualattention to navigating the vehicle or something else. When DMA 40determines that the visual attention is allocated to something else thannavigating a timer is started.

In situation A, FIG. 3 the driver 20 has allocated his visual attentionto navigating the car and therefore there is no need to mentor him evenif the traffic was heavy and the coming road points valued by the VDA 41as visually highly demanding due many curves and crossings. As a matterof fact any intervention and mentoring by the DMA 40 might bedistracting for the driver 20.

In situation B, FIG. 3 the driver has received a text message. Using theinformation received from the camera unit 52 the DMA 40 determines thatthe driver's 20 visual attention is allocated to the mobile phoneinstead of navigating the car. Based on the driver profile 51, currentspeed of the car, soon coming curve and a crossing the DMA 40 setsthreshold time 401 as 0.8 seconds. The driver 20 does not allocate thevisual attention back to navigating the car in 0.8 seconds and thethreshold time is met 402, therefore mentoring 403 is given to thedriver as an audible signal. Later on the crossing is passed and a lessvisually challenging road is ahead and the driver 20 starts to look atthe mobile phone again. Together this and other information DMA sets anew threshold time 401 as 1.2 seconds and now the driver 20 is able toread the message and allocate his visual attention back to navigatingthe car before the threshold time is met 402. No mentoring needed.

According to one example embodiment in a situation where for any reasonmeans for tracking the direction of the gaze is not available theintervention can be implemented using other means. An alternative signalresponsive to senses may be for example a pulsing indicator, like anicon, a light, a sound, vibration or such to indicate passing of time.The alternative signal responsive to senses may also be arranged byvisualization indicating progress like a progress bar, a pointer(pendulum or revolving), or other suitable means. Intervention periodcan be for example two pulses or two swings of a pointer or such, afterwhich the gaze should be allocated to driving. Appropriate threshold forthe intervention period can be calculated using the VDA for a currentsituation. The alternative signal responsive to senses may becontinuous, where only the frequency, speed, tone etc. changes accordingto the situation. When the gaze has been focused on something else thandriving it should be allocated back to driving when the driver noticesthe alternative signal responsive to senses indicating meeting thethreshold—at the latest.

According to one example embodiment similar alternative signalresponsive to sensesmethod can be implemented also when at least one ofthe situation information about the circumstances is not available forsome reason. For example if the GPS-information is missing the VDA maydefine a threshold value for intervention period using the informationavailable. If there is not enough situation information about thecircumstances available a pre-set value for the intervention period canbe used.

Improving the driver safety is an important task but the exampleembodiments of the current invention may also be used to make thedriving more fluent and enjoyable in general. For example the driver canbe informed about a closing ramp to take or to use a certain lane inrush time according to the information collected by the DMA or thedriver can be informed about a high situational VDA value on aparticular road and to take alternative route according to theinformation collected by the DMA.

It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that as technologyadvances, the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in variousways. The invention and its embodiments are therefore not restricted tothe above examples, but they may vary within the scope of the claims.

1. A method for managing driver safety, comprising the steps of: storingdriver specific information in a driver mentoring application; receivingat the driver mentoring application situation information aboutcircumstances surrounding a vehicle, wherein the situation informationabout circumstances surrounding the vehicle include map information;executing at the driver mentoring application a visual demand algorithmusing at least one of the situation information or driver specificinformation; executing an application for tracking visual attention ofthe driver; receiving at the driver mentoring application informationabout the visual attention of the driver and measuring time when saidvisual attention is allocated to something else than navigating thevehicle; defining at the driver mentoring application a threshold timefor an intervention using the result received from the visual demandalgorithm; based on the determination that the measured time meets theintervention time the driver is given mentoring by the driver mentoringapplication to allocate more visual attention to navigating the vehicle.2. The method of claim 1, wherein situation information about thevehicle is received at the driver mentoring application and used in thevisual demand algorithm.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein situationinformation about the circumstances inside the vehicle is received atthe driver mentoring application and used in the visual demandalgorithm.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the situation informationabout circumstances surrounding the vehicle include weather information.5. The method of claim 1, wherein the situation information aboutcircumstances surrounding the vehicle include traffic information. 6.The method of claim 1, wherein the situation information aboutcircumstances surrounding the vehicle include camera information.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the situation information includes visualvisual data received from a remote source.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein the mentoring is a signal responsive to senses.
 9. The method ofclaim 8, wherein in case when the driver mentoring application does notreceive enough situation information about circumstances surrounding thevehicle and/or information about the visual attention allocation of thedriver an alternative signal responsive to senses is used to givementoring to the driver.
 10. The method of claim 3, wherein thesituation information about circumstances in the vehicle include camerainformation.
 11. A driver mentoring device for carrying the method ofany of claims 1 to 10 for driver safety monitoring.
 12. The device ofclaim 11, wherein the driver mentoring device is a mobile phone.
 13. Acomputer program product, readable by a computer and encodinginstructions for executing the method of any of claims 1 to 10 in adriver mentoring device for driver safety mentoring.
 14. A method fordefining a route, comprising the steps of: receiving a start point anddestination point for a route; receiving map information about theroute; receiving traffic information about the route; receiving roadspecific information about the route; receiving weather informationabout the route; receiving information about surroundings of the route:defining in a visual demand algorithm a value using the receivedinformation describing the visual demand level of the route.
 15. Amethod of claim 14, further comprising the step of: receiving visualdata from a remote source.
 16. A method for managing user safety whenthe user is performing an act of moving, comprising the steps of:storing user specific information in a driver mentoring application;receiving at the driver mentoring application situation informationabout circumstances surrounding the user, wherein the situationinformation about circumstances surrounding user include mapinformation; executing at the driver mentoring application a visualdemand algorithm using at least one of the situation information or userspecific information; executing an application for tracking visualattention of the user; receiving at the driver mentoring applicationinformation about the visual attention of the user and measuring timewhen said visual attention is allocated to something else than relevantfor moving; defining at the driver mentoring application a thresholdtime for an intervention using the result received from the visualdemand algorithm; based on the determination that the measured timemeets the intervention time the user is given mentoring by the drivermentoring application to allocate more visual attention to guide the actof moving.